Threshold and the like



P 15, 1954 G. STRAUS ETAL 3,148,419

THRESHOLD AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 16, 1961 United States Patent.

3,148,419 THRESHQLD AND THE LIKE Gus Straus, Richmond, and James E. Belcher, 3:2, Henrico County, Va, assignors to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 131,824 8 Claims. (Cl. 20-64) This invention relates to thresholds and the like.

According to this invention, a threshold, window sill, etc., may be formed by a suitable elongated base plate which may be formed by transversely cutting long extrusions to form homogeneous base plate constructions which are both pleasing in appearance, and strong in construction.

The threshold and the like may also include a bowed, longitudinal elastic strip which has longitudinal, downwardly directed, strip edges which extend into and may be locked in suitable groove constructions in the base plate. The elastic strip may have sidewise projections which may be relatively flat and may extend over and seal against the outer upper groove edges in a manner to prevent undesirable substances from falling into such grooves.

The elastic strip edges may be provided with suitable hook or barb constructions which look with strip locking lips and downward hooks formed on the upper groove edges to prevent accidental withdrawal of the elastic strip from the base plate.

The base plate may also be provided with a central, relatively shallow groove which is formed between the strip edge receiving grooves. The bottom wall of this central shallow groove limits the downward flexing of the elastic strip by unusually heavy objects and prevents harmful flexing of the elastic strip beyond its elastic limit.

Suitable bead formations are produced adjacent the inner edges of the grooves to prevent undue inward movement of the sidewise strip projections and which thus prevent the formation of open seams where water, dirt and the like might enter into the groove constructions.

The threshold is so made that round headed screws and the like may be used to secure it to the floor or other support without the necessity of drilling screw holes with screw head countersinking recesses. A marking groove may be formed or extruded in the threshold to guide in making simple screw holes without such head countersinking recesses.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a threshold and the like having an elongated base plate and elongated elastic strip having one or more of the features herein disclosed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an elongated base plate having one or more of the features herein disclosed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an elongated elastic strip having one or more of the features herein disclosed.

Other objects are apparent from this description and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a threshold according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlargement of a portion of FIGURE 2 and additionally showing the elastic strip as being engaged by a door, window, and the like.

A threshold and the like according to this invention may include an elongated base plate 10 which may be made by transversely cutting relatively long extrusions, and which may be a homogeneous unit. The base plate 10 has a pair of upwardly directed longitudinal plate supporting walls 12 and 14 with surface corrugations 15, if desired. The plate 11) also has groove forming wallswhich form a pair of longitudinal strip edge receiving spaced grooves 16 which grooves are intermediate said supporting walls 12 and 14.

The grooves 16 each has inner upper groove edges or edge walls 2% and outer upper groove edges or edge walls 22.

Some of the upper groove edges, such as the edges 22 have strip locking lips 24 for a purpose to be described. The lips 24 may have relatively fiat upper surfaces 23 and downward hooks 35.

A bowed, longitudinal, elastic strip 26 has longitudinal, downwardly directed, strip edges 28 extending into and secured in said spaced grooves 16.

Said strip edges 28 may have upward hooks or barbs 30 which lock with the strip locking lips 24 and downward hooks 35 which lock the strips 26 in place until deliberately pulled out.

The strips 26 may have outward sidewise projections 32 which extend over and seal against the upper surfaces 23 of the upper groove edges 22 or lips 24 to prevent dirt, water, etc. from falling into the grooves 16. The projections 32 may be relatively flat and horizontal and may rest and seal against the horizontal fiat surfaces 23 of the lips 24.

A central groove 34 is formed between the spaced grooves 16 which has a central, generally horizontal wall or bottom 42 to limit the downward flexing of the elastic strip 26 beyond a safe limit.

The central groove 34 may be formed by the inner upper groove forming edges or upstanding walls 20 which may include a bead 36 to hold the extension 32 from moving inward beyond the lip 24, and thus to prevent the spacing of the extension 32 from the lip 24.

The spaced or side grooves 16 may each be formed by a pair of relatively deep outer groove walls 38 depending respectively from adjacent the inner edges of the supporting walls 12 and 14. The grooves 16 are also formed by a pair of upwardly and inwardly inclined inner groove walls 40 joined respectively at their bottoms 41 to said outer groove walls 38.

The central, relatively shallow groove 34 may be formed by the bottom, central, generally horizontal wall 42 which may be joined to the inclined inner walls 40 adjacent the tops of the walls 40.

The elongated base plate 1% may be formed by extrusion methods which form a homogeneous base plate. This extrusion may be made of extruded aluminum, or a suitable aluminum alloy. The elastic strip 26 may be made of any of the now well-known plastic strip forming materials, such as vinyl plastic materials, which may be extruded or otherwise formed to the shape desired. By way of example, such strips 26 may be formed of a resilient, flexible, monomeric vinyl plastic or the like.

The strip 1 5 may be secured to the threshold of a door, the sill of a window, etc., in any suitable manner.

For example, a suitable number of screw holes 43 may be formed in the wall 42 through which a suitable number of screws 57 may be inserted and secured to the floor underneath the door 27 or sill underneath the window. A central longitudinal guiding formation or groove 45 may be formed or extruded in the wall 42 to provide a guide along which suitable screw holes 43 may be made for the reception of the screws 47. These screws 47 may have round heads 470, or the like, so the holes 43 need not be countersunk to receive the screw heads.

The outer edges 44 and 46 of the walls 12 and 14, respectively, may be made of any desired shape. For example, these edges 44 and 46 may include forked prongs 4% and 59 which form grooves 51. The prongs 48 and 50 may be suitably rounded at the ends, if desired, or

alternatively may be made sharp or hooked, or of any other suitable shape. Sealing means in the form of caulking compound 53 may be placed in the grooves 51 by a caulking gun before applying the threshold to the floor and the like. This compound then forms a seal with the fioor and the like. The shape of the prongs 48 and 5% may be shaped securely to hold such elastic strips, as is now well known.

The bottom wall 42 of central groove 34 is so spaced from the beads 36 that the elastic strip 26 is not flexed downwardly against the wall 42. The beads 36 stop the downward flexing action of the strip 26 by a shoe and the like, so the strip 26 will not be flexed against the screw heads 36.

If any narrow object, such as a small heel, is pushed into the central groove 34, the wall 42 limits the downward flexing action of the elastic strip 26 and stops it at the upper surface of wall 42.

It is thus to be seen that a very eflicient base plate has been provided to cooperate with the flexible strip 26 to provide a strong and durable threshold and the like.

The base plates 10 may be cut from long extrusions which may be formed from relatively simple and strong extrusion dies.

The flexible strips 26 may be cut from relatively long strip material which is easily formed and cut.

The edges of the elastic strip are firmly held in deep grooves by hook and barb constructions which are not easily and accidentally displaced.

Relatively flat outward projections or seals 32 have been provided to reduce the infiltration of extraneous matter into the strip edge holding grooves 16.

The threshold has an artistic and pleasing appearance as well as an advantageous utilitarian construction.

While the form of theinvention now preferred has been disclosed in accordance with the requirements of the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed isz 11 A threshold and the like comprising a homogeneous, extruded, elongated base plate having a pair of upwardly directed, longitudinal plate supporting walls, said plate having a pair of longitudinal side grooves intermediate said supporting walls and formed by a pair of relatively deep, outer depending groove walls depending respectively from said supporting walls, said grooves also being formed by a pair of inwardly and upwardly inclined inner groove walls joined respectively at their bottoms to said outer groove walls, an elastic strip received in said grooves, said plate having a central, relatively shallow groove formed by a central, generally horizontal wall joined adjacent the tops of said inclined inner groove walls, said depending groove walls each having a substantially horizontal strip locking lip extending inwardly over each respective groove with a strip retaining downward hook extending downwardly from said lip, each lip having a relatively flat upper surface to receive a relatively flat horizontally disposed sidewise projection on said elastic strip, said shallow groove also being formed by a pair of spaced upstanding walls extending upwardly from said horizontal wall, and'each with a bead at their upper ends, each bead having a rounded upper surface substantially at the same elevation as the flat upper surface of said lip, each bead normally engaging said elas tic strip to support the same.

2. A threshold and the like according to claim 1 in which said elastic strip has downwardly directed strip edges extending into and locked in said side grooves, said strip having sidewise relatively flat and horizontally disposed projections extending outwardly and sealing against said relatively flat upper surfaces of said lips, said strip edges each having an upward barb extending under each of said lips and retained by each respective downward hook.

' 3. A threshold and the like comprising: an elongated base plate having a pair of upwardly directed longitudinal,

plate supporting walls having supporting wall outer and inner edges, said plate having walls forming a pair of longitudinal strip edge receiving spaced grooves intermediate said inner edges of said supporting walls and having inner and outer upper groove edges, said plate having a flat wall interconnecting said inner groove edges together, said plate having upstanding walls intermediate said groove and projecting above said flat wall; and a bowed, longitudinal, elastic strip having longitudinal, downwardly directed strip edges extending into said spaced grooves, said strip having sidewise projections extending outwardly over and sealing against upper surfaces of said base plate, said strip normally engaging said upstanding walls to be supported thereby.

4. A threshold and the like comprising: an elongated base plate having a pair of upwardly directed longitudinal, plate supporting walls having outer and inner edges, said plate having walls forming a pair of relatively deep longitudinal strip edge receiving spaced grooves intermediate said inner edges of said supporting walls and having inner and outer groove edges and a central, relatively shallow groove between said strip edge receiving, spaced grooves and having its outer edges defined by upstanding walls projecting above a flat wall interconnecting said first-named grooves together; and a bowed, longitudinal,

elastic strip having longitudinal, downwardly directed strip edges extending into said spaced grooves, said strip having sidewise projections extending outwardly over and sealing against upper surfaces of said base plate, said strip normally engaging said upstanding walls to be supported thereby.

5. A threshold and the like comprising an elongated 7 base plate having a pair of upwardly directed longitudinal plate supporting Walls, said plate having groove forming walls forming a pair of longitudinal strip edge receiving spaced grooves intermediate said supporting walls and having inner and outer upper groove edges, some of said upper groove edges having strip locking lips; and a bowed, longitudinal, elastic strip having longitudinal downwardly directed, strip edges extending into said spaced grooves, said strip edges having hooks locking with said strip locking lips, said strip having sidewise projections extending over and sealing against said'outer upper groove edges, said inner upper groove edges being formed by upward bead forming walls normally engaging said elastic strip to support the same, and a central horizontal wall connected to lower portions of said upward bead forming walls to form a central groove in said threshold whereby said upward bead forming walls project above said central horizontal wall.

6. A threshold according to claim 5 in which a longitudinal guiding formation is provided on said central horizontal wall to guide the formation of screw holes in said horizontal wall.

7. A threshold according to claim 6 in which said guiding formation is a central longitudinal groove formed in said central horizontal wall.

8. A threshold and the like comprising: an elongated base plate having a pair of upwardly directed, longitudinal, plate supporting walls having wall outer and inner edges with the outer edges engaging a supporting structure, said plate having pairs of inner and outer walls forming a pair of longitudinal strip edge spaced grooves intermediate said inner edges of said supporting walls, said groove defining walls normally being spaced from said supporting structure, a horizontal wall extending between said inner walls below the upper edges of.

said inner walls, said horizontal wall having screw holes for securing said threshold to a floor and the like by screws passing through said holes, said outer edges of said supporting walls having forked prongs forming grooves,

caulking compound in said grooves to engage and seal to said floor when said screws secure said threhold to said floor, and a bowed elastic strip having downwardly directed strip edges extending into and secured to said 5 5 spaced grooves, said strip normally engaging said upper 2,167,958 Oftedal et a1. Aug. 1, 1939 edges of said inner walls to be supported thereby. 2,718,677 Cornell Sept. 27, 1955 3,004,308 Young Oct. 17, 1961 References Cited in the file of this patent 3,014,253 Manvlne 1961 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,108,137 Oftedal et a1. Feb. 15, 1938 839,523 Great Britain June 9, 9 0 

3. A THRESHOLD AND THE LIKE COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED BASE PLATE HAVING A PAIR OF UPWARDLY DIRECTED LONGITUDINAL, PLATE SUPPORTING WALLS HAVING SUPPORTING WALL OUTER AND INNER EDGES, SAID PLATE HAVING WALLS FORMING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINAL STRIP EDGE RECEIVING SPACED GROOVES INTERMEDIATE SAID INNER EDGES OF SAID SUPPORTING WALLS AND HAVING INNER AND OUTER UPPER GROOVE EDGES, SAID PLATE HAVING A FLAT WALL INTERCONNECTING SAID INNER GROOVE EDGES TOGETHER, SAID PLATE HAVING UPSTANDING WALLS INTERMEDIATE SAID GROOVE AND PROJECTING ABOVE SAID FLAT WALL; AND A BOWED, LONGITUDINAL, ELASTIC STRIP HAVING LONGITUDINAL, DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED STRIP EDGES EXTENDING INTO SAID SPACED GROOVES, SAID STRIP HAVING SIDEWISE PROJECTIONS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OVER AND SEALING AGAINST UPPER SURFACES OF SAID BASE PLATE, SAID STRIP NORMALLY ENGAGING SAID UPSTANDING WALLS TO BE SUPPORTED THEREBY. 